BX SERIES HANDHELD
INSTRUCTION MANUAL
PAGE 7
When a signal is received, the ‘Busy’
indicator will light Green and the signal
will be heard in the speaker. Adjust
the volume control as desired for a
comfortable listening level.
If the incoming signal is encoded with a
CTCSS tone that matches the one set in
your radio, the ‘Busy’ indicator will light
Orange and the signal will be heard in
the speaker. If the ‘Busy’ indicator lights
Green but you cannot hear the signal
(and the volume control is correctly
adjusted) it is likely your radio has CTCSS
enable but the incoming signal is not
using your selected CTCSS tone
(see
MODE
settings for CTCSS options).
In this way the radio can ensure you are
not disturbed by signals that were not
meant for you. If you wish to temporarily
listen to the encoded signal, press the
MON
(Squelch) key.
Once no further signals are received, the
unit will return to standby mode.
transmitting
Important: Before transmitting,
check to see if the channel is
already in use (i.e. the ‘Busy’
indicator is lit). If the ’Busy’
indicator is Green or Orange, the
channel is busy. You should wait
until the channel is clear before
transmitting.
To transmit, press and hold the Push-
To-Talk (
PTT
) switch. Hold the unit 5-8
cm from your mouth with the antenna
vertical and speak into the built-in
microphone. While the
PTT
is pressed
the ‘Busy’ indicator will light Red.
When you have finished speaking,
release the
PTT
switch to receive
incoming signals again (you cannot
transmit and receive at the same time).
If no further signals are received the unit
will return to standby mode.
Note:
The other radio you are calling
must be set to the same channel
as yours.
Transmitting a ‘Call Alarm’ Melody
The
PTT
switch can be used to transmit a
‘Call Alarm’ to another radio on the same
channel. The Alarm melody will be heard
in the speaker of the other radio to alert
them to your call. To use this feature the
‘Call Alarm’ option in your radio must be
enabled through the
MODE
settings.
To send the ‘Call Alarm’ melody, press
the
PTT
switch TWICE quickly. The
‘Busy’ indicator will light Red for several
seconds and the Alarm melody will
be heard in your speaker - and in the
speaker of the radio you are calling.
transmitter range
The signal range on the VHF/UHF
frequency bands used by the BX series
handhelds is generally considered to be
‘line-of-sight’. Generally the range will
vary according to your location and the
height of your antenna. UHF and VHF
signals are easily blocked by hills or large
buildings so you will get less range in a
valley or built-up city area than you will
from a hill top or open country. If you are
having trouble with reception, try moving
to an open space or a higher location. If
you can receive but are having difficulty
transmitting back, try using the ‘Hi’
power setting on the transmitter to
ensure maximum range is available.
squeLch (mon) key
The Squelch (
MON
) key serves a dual
function that controls both the Squelch
and CTCSS.
Squelch
To open the squelch briefly press the
MON
key. This will allow you to check
the current channel for activity before
transmitting, particularly if you have
CTCSS enabled. When the squelch is
open the ‘Busy’ indicator will light Green
and you will hear static or hiss if the
channel is clear. Do not transmit if you
hear any conversations.
Briefly press the
MON
key again to close
the squelch.
CTCSS/DCS
Note:
For a description of the CTCSS
and DCS features please refer to the
MODE Key
section later in this manual.
If you have one or more channels
programmed with CTCSS or DCS codes,
select one of these channels and press
and hold the
MON
key to globally
activate or deactivate CTCSS/DCS on
the radio. When CTCSS/DCS is activated,
‘CTC’ or ‘DCS’ will appear on the display
